You’ve probably heard the saying, “70% of success is showing up.” You may have heard different statistics associated with it and/or you may have heard the quote attributed to different people. Regardless of who originated it, like a lot of sayings that have been passed down through the ages, there’s a lot of truth in it.

The majority of success in many things in life is indeed directly correlated with simply “showing up.” Simply taking actions that can move you toward your goal will help you get there. No great surprise. “Showing up” is certainly VERY important when it comes to being a successful networker, but the MOST importatant thing you do in networking may be following up.

Yes, it’s essential that you stay in the habit of regularly networking, especially when you may not feel like it. But even more essential is that you make sure that as you meet new contacts, you follow up with them so you can keep yourself top of mind when it comes to ways you may be able to help them. Or for ways you may be able to help those they know so they can eagerly refer you to them.

Show up, follow-up, repeat. Keep after it and you’ll be happy with the results you see.

Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”– Emory Austin

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The first question we should always ask when entering any situation that could be a networking situation, and you’ll likely find that ANY situation CAN become a networking situation (done tastefully and tactfully, of course) is….

Who here can I help?

I got this idea from Dr. Robert Cialdini, who is considered by many to be the world’s foremost expert on influence and persuasion. He says that if you really want to be influential, start with that simple question.

Our concern should not be “How do I look,” or “How can I make some money today,” or even, “Who do I most want to talk to,” but should instead be, “Who can I help?”

If we go into a networking situation with that as our focus, we’ll not only endear ourselves to our fellow networkers as a nice person, but as a valuable RESOURCE that delivers VALUE for them. That’s the kind of professional all of us want to add to our networks!

How do you get ahead? Ask “Who can I help?”

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” – Martin Luther King

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There are a lot of fine points to networking, and you can find a lot of good tips all over the place from a lot of authors, but to me, here’s one big secret you need to know if you want to be successful at networking.

Here it is:

You gotta do it!

Like exercise, networking isn’t a spectator sport and it isn’t a passive activity. You’ve got to consciously be practicing professional networking all the time with the goal of growing the number of people who are willing to help you, and they’re willing to help you because they know you’d do the same for them.

Yes, this may get old. Yes, it may often seem difficult. And yes, it may require monumental effort on your part.

So on the days you might not feel so much like networking what should you do? Do it anyway! Push yourself! You’ll be glad you did not only because you can celebrate that feeling of accomplishment that comes from meeting a personal challenge, but also because you’ll be moving one step closer to the results you’re looking for.

Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway!” – Emory Austin

If there’s one resource I absolutely love, it’s the library. If there’s one place that levels the playing field, if there’s one place I don’t mind my tax dollars going, it’s the library. The OKC Metro Library system has been a resource I’ve used for over 20 years now, and I continue to marvel at what the library system has to offer.

I once heard a speaker say that information wasn’t power, that only applied information was power. If information by itself were power, then the library wouldn’t be the quietest, deadest, least-crowded place in town. The point being made was that in order to get results, just having “information” wasn’t enough, one had to do something with it. To take ACTION. I agree with that, as I’ve written before, but I think we might be tempted misinterpret that to think it’s a slam on the library, when the exact opposite ought to be the case.

Og Mandino wrote that at his lowest point emotionally, found himself at his public library. He found himself strangely compelled to start investing his time in a self-directed education that would ultimately result in helping him raise himself from a “hopeless bum” into a millionaire. He ended up writing books that would inspire millions, too. In fact, there have been several stories told of how “bums” literally went to the library to get out of the cold and ended up using that time to read. To better themselves. And they wound up finding solutions that would turn their lives around and ultimately help them not only “survive,” but prosper. The point is often made that it was the ACTION of applying what was learned to achieve the success, but isn’t it worth celebrating that the same education that enabled that success is available to all of us? Right down the street, in many cases?

I was just there with my son and I was amazed at how they now have Kindle Fires that families can check out that have all kinds of interactive learning tools and such. Heck, I was dazzled a few years ago when they started offering digital downloads of books and periodicals that you could get, from your library onto your phone or tablet, without even leaving the house. That they now make technology available to those who need it, and might not otherwise be able to afford it, is pretty doggone cool as far as I am concerned.

The resources are plentiful and they’re yours for the borrowing. You’ll find your local library is peaceful and quiet…and rarely is it crowded!

You’ve already paid for it, so are you really maximizing this amazing asset?

You want weapons? We’re in a library. Books are the best weapon in the world. This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!” – Doctor Who, Tooth and Claw

Networking can be the most powerful marketing tool you have. This is because it puts you face-to-face with prospects, enables you to get to know all about how you can help them, then enables you to tailor your introduction to exactly that. When you network, you are the brand to those you meet wherever you go. You are the window through which your brand is viewed, you are what they will “say” about your brand, and whatever feelings they get for you or about you will become their brand association with you. Remember, that’s really all a brand is, whatever the customer thinks of when they think of you.

So with that in mind, just remember that EVERYTHING is branding! Be friendly, be professional, and be mindful that somebody is watching, and building lasting impressions of you, all the time.

I know you get this, but if there are others out there who represent your brand, how about making sure they know it, too?

“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you‘re saying.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Short answer: Yep, Time is money. If you’re busy, you can just stop reading right here and get on with your day.

Not only is time money, but time is the new measure of wealth.

There is most definitely a correlation between time and money! On the expense side, it’s time = money. On the revenue side, money = time! Time is kind of the currency we’re all working for, if you think about it.

I know a lot of “successful” professionals who are constantly hopping on a plane and gallivanting here or there, sometimes to exotic locales. They make excellent money, but they’re always on someone else’s schedule. And “someone else” often doesn’t care that it’s their kid’s birthday or a death in the family or even if they’re ill. Their attitude is, “We’re paying you to be here. We’ve got an audience who expects YOU to show up and perform. We have a contract and we expect you to honor it.” The higher up the ladder you go, the higher the stakes, and the higher the consequences.

We ought to all ditch our wall clocks and digital smartphones in favor of hourglasses because the hourglass shows how time really runs out, one grain at a time.

Time is the most important thing you have, so invest it wisely. And count that time you have to spend with whom you want and/or doing what you want as a blessing of immeasurable value. You may find you’re even wealthier than you thought!

Dost thou love live? Then do not squander time for that is the stuff life’s made of.” – Benjamin Franklin

Below is a link to an article shared in a Tweet by Tim Berney, founder and president of VI Marketing and Branding. Tim spoke to an entrepreneurship class of mine a while back, as he has done many times over the years. This very successful entrepreneur gives his time and wisdom to the class, and sticks around afterward to visit with students individually about their business goals. This is because, like most truly successful people, he believes in helping the next generation on their journey.

One very clear, very important message he shared with these entrepreneurs-in-training is the unavoidable necessity of hard work in being successful at any undertaking.

That reminded me of a Tweet Tim had shared some time ago.

Incidentally, if you’re looking for a crash course in how to use Twitter to build your brand, without alienating your followers with the usual, useless, boring chatter that’s most often seen on Twitter, Tim’s Tweet below is a near PERFECT example.

What he’s done is share a RESOURCE with his followers, which in this case is an article about entrepreneurship. Your followers are busy people, after all, so when you find something that could benefit them but that they might not otherwise discover on their own, sharing it with them is a great service on your part. It’s something they’ll value and appreciate. Tim has additionally added his own comments on the article, thereby making the find that much more valuable to his followers or anyone else who reads it because we benefit from his perspectives on what we’re about to read. Powerful!

Many thanks to all those volunteers and donors for making GIVING to such a great cause so enjoyable.

If you were there you know what a well-attended, well-orchestrated, professionally done event it was. If not, you can read all about it in the Twittersphere by searching #okcjinglemingle.

I have always been proud to be a member of the marketing PROFESSION, but the comaraderie and generosity we saw at the Jingle Mingle reminds me why I’m proud to be part of this profession in this unique Oklahoma City community. That’ll keep me in the holiday spirit until at least the Super Bowl! Bravo and thanks, guys!

Looking for a way to get some quality, FREE training? Then volunteer for a cause or a not-for-profit. These folks are always looking for help with projects. In fact, not only do they need help, they need LEADERSHIP to help them reach their goals. In other words, they need YOU. And YOU may need them, too.

As I was building my business several years ago, I found that getting actively involved in the right organizations was not only great for building my personal brand and that of the business, but also for getting some great training at someone else’s expense! Plus it’s just a lot of fun because you get to work with other leaders you might not have the opportunity to work with otherwise.

There are several cautions that need to be observed when volunteering (and I’ll talk about them another time) but the benefits far outweigh the costs when it comes to volunteering.

So the next time the chance to volunteer comes along, don’t think about how busy you are, think about how it can positively impact your future.